Now on revues.org: Heritage-making and Politics of Identity in Sudan

My article  on Sudanese museums and  politics of identity in the transitional period 2005-2011 published in Egypte-Monde Arabe 5-6 (2009) on Heritage-Politics in Egypt and Sudan is now available on line on revues.org along with the rest of the book.

This article is part of the chapter 3: Politicisation and instrumentalization of Heritage in Sudan. This topic was investigated for the first time. The chapter comprises resourceful contributions of Iris Seri-Hersh (Iremam, Aix-en-Provence) on the recurrent use of the narratives of the Mahdiya in Sudanese politics, Ida Dykorn Heierland (Bergen University) on the political and economic use of archeological heritage in Naqa, Coralie Gradel (SFDAS, Khartoum) on the involvement of Lille III University in Sudanese archaeological research since the 1950′s and Constanza de Simone (UNESCO, Cairo) on the projected museum in Wadi Halfa.

Existing and planned museums in Sudan. ©Jean-Gabriel Leturcq, 2009

Heritage Policies in Sudan

Here is the  powerpoint presentation of a conference given in the Biannual conference (ECAS) of the European network of African Studies (AEGIS) in Leiden 2007.

It covers one of my favorite topics:

heritage policies in the “post-conflict” Sudan.

Summary:

This paper is an abstract of the communication given in the ECAS, the second biennial conference of AEGIS (Africa-Europe Group for Interdisplinary Studies) in Leiden, on the 10th of July 2007. This article presents the results of my fieldwork research in Sudan in April-March 2006 and January-April 2007. A complete version of this article will published in Egypte/Monde arabe 5-6 on Heritage policies in Egypt and Sudan (forthcoming, first semester 2008).

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This paper aims at reconsidering the evidence of national identity construction through a reflection on heritage-making and its institutional mechanisms in the Sudanese context.

The fifty-years civil war of Sudan has been considered by many analysts as a war of competing identities [1]. Since the signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, the reconstruction of the country is presented as the priority of the authorities, but the internal context remains very conflictive (e.g. Darfur) and the national integrity is still problematic (referendum on the autonomy of Southern Sudan in 2011). However, cultural heritage is being promoted by national authorities and international agencies according to the CPA implementation agenda. Heritage is used as a resource to develop cultural diversity as well as a national identity.

Social and cultural impacts of Large Dams: the case of Sudan

This is the power point of my presentation to the Centro de Estudos Africanos da Universidade do Porto (CEUAP -Porto) conference of the 2nd – 3rd of October 2008:

Water in Africa: hydro-optimism or hydro-pessimism?

Here is my abstract:

Panel Session: LARGE DAMS IN AFRICA: CASE-STUDIES

Introduction

Large dams’ construction is back in Africa. This paper analyses the frictions between potential economic benefits generated by large-scale dams and the social and cultural impacts, for the specific case of the Merowe Dam in the Nile River, Northern Sudan. This paper focuses on the controversies surrounding the Merowe Dam planning and construction (2002-2008 ) and its impacts on society and culture. The friction between different visions of development will be analysed in order to assess the prospects of an equitable socio-economic development related to large-scale dams’ projects, an ideal hydro-optimistic vision.